By Allan Lengel
More than 100 former Justice Department officials from Republican and Democratic administrations filed a brief Monday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., urging the judge to dismiss charges against former FBI Director James B. Comey, The Washington Post reports. They argue that the prosecution was fueled by political animus and not guided by legal standards.
The amicus brief is another sign of the growing concern among former DOJ officials that President Donald Trump is skirting long-standing protocols and using the department as a tool to go after his enemies.
The brief was signed by former senior Justice Department officials, including President Barack Obama’s Attorney General Eric Holder and Peter Keisler, the former Bush administration acting attorney general, The Post reports.
The interim U.S. attorney had concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to convict Comey of lying to Congress, but Trump pushed him out and replaced him with an aide and former personal lawyer, who then indicted Comey.
Trump also publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to indict Comey and other political opponents.
